Dang Jin Hu.
You helped John Morra and Oscar Dominguez find vests at the last minute.
www.jbcases.com
YOUR story with a PRO PLAYER
- Thread starter JoeyA
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Dang Jin Hu.
You helped John Morra and Oscar Dominguez find vests at the last minute.
www.jbcases.com
I had been spending a lot of my time practicing hard and had started to see some improvement in my game, so I went out one Friday night to play in a local handicapped 9-ball tournament to chart my progress. Payed my $10. When they announced the first-round draws/table assignments, I had drawn Jui-Lung Chen, a pro-speed player living in the D/FW area. I knew straight-up that my game had not improved THAT much :embarrassed2:. So anyway, I proceed to be his rack-b*tch for the next 30 minutes (yes, it was over that fast :frown
. He beat me 7-1. I won ONE single game, and that was because he scratched with only the 7, 8, and 9-ball left on the table.
You know what sucked the most? After he whipped me senseless, he packed up his cues and LEFT!!! I guess he figured (after watching me shoot my 5 or 6 shots
) there wasn't enough competition to make it worth his while. Just beat me down and left!!!
Lost my losers bracket match hill-hill against a pretty good local player.
I went home and practiced a LOT harder.
Maniac (but I still suck :grin-square
. He beat me 7-1. I won ONE single game, and that was because he scratched with only the 7, 8, and 9-ball left on the table.You know what sucked the most? After he whipped me senseless, he packed up his cues and LEFT!!! I guess he figured (after watching me shoot my 5 or 6 shots
) there wasn't enough competition to make it worth his while. Just beat me down and left!!!Lost my losers bracket match hill-hill against a pretty good local player.
I went home and practiced a LOT harder.
Maniac (but I still suck :grin-square
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You played Ding Jun Hui???!?? The snooker Champion of China?? Hahahha ok ok. That must've been a sight...even more so that he plays american pool.
Oh yeah it was Oscar Dominguez...
Met him in Shanghai in the same pool hall that we were shooting, and well John knew him. He needed Shirt, Pants and Vest for his next tourney in Beijing where apparently there was a dress code that he wasn't aware of.
He needed to find some cheap ones real quick cos he was flying off the next day and i directed him to the "Tailor's Street" in Shanghai where i think he spent like $50 for a few shirts, pants and vest... The funny thing is when i finally caught the match on video, no one was adhering to the dress code haha.
Well that was the closest interaction i had with a pro... I do know another dumb guy who thought he could hustle a chinese pro snooker player though... but that story's been told
You played Ding Jun Hui???!?? The snooker Champion of China?? Hahahha ok ok. That must've been a sight...even more so that he plays american pool.
Oh yeah it was Oscar Dominguez...
Met him in Shanghai in the same pool hall that we were shooting, and well John knew him. He needed Shirt, Pants and Vest for his next tourney in Beijing where apparently there was a dress code that he wasn't aware of.
He needed to find some cheap ones real quick cos he was flying off the next day and i directed him to the "Tailor's Street" in Shanghai where i think he spent like $50 for a few shirts, pants and vest... The funny thing is when i finally caught the match on video, no one was adhering to the dress code haha.
Well that was the closest interaction i had with a pro... I do know another dumb guy who thought he could hustle a chinese pro snooker player though... but that story's been told
Dang Jin Hu, pool player. Not Ding.
'The Game is Changing and Evolving'
I used to practice with Buddy Hall in Tampa Florida when we both lived there and he was always an inspiration.....at times I would try to imitate his stroke/grip/tempo and found out that it worked really well for Buddy and not so well for me....that's the issue, even though we all have common denominators in our games, we still have to find a way to do it our own way.
Buddy has shown me things that don't work for me, but work for other people and I've learned the same type things from Omaha John, Mike Lebron, Efren, Hopkins, David Howard, Earl Strickland, Jr. Weldon, Jersey Red, Eddie Taylor, Big John, Doug Smith, etc.
When you pay attention around guys like this you'll often pick up key bits of wisdom, especially if you know how to elicit it. Sometimes you can use it directly, and other times you have to tweak it a bit to conform to your own personal style....learning to improve is more of a journey than a destination....and just like travel broadens our horizons, so does understanding how others experience their personal reality, especially at the highest level.
We, that strive to discover the perfection in the game 'Real Eyes' that we express ourselves through the game, AND the game {paradoxically} must express its self though us..... and this, in appearance is as unique as a fingerprint. 'The Game is Changing and Evolving'
I used to practice with Buddy Hall in Tampa Florida when we both lived there and he was always an inspiration.....at times I would try to imitate his stroke/grip/tempo and found out that it worked really well for Buddy and not so well for me....that's the issue, even though we all have common denominators in our games, we still have to find a way to do it our own way.
Buddy has shown me things that don't work for me, but work for other people and I've learned the same type things from Omaha John, Mike Lebron, Efren, Hopkins, David Howard, Earl Strickland, Jr. Weldon, Jersey Red, Eddie Taylor, Big John, Doug Smith, etc.
When you pay attention around guys like this you'll often pick up key bits of wisdom, especially if you know how to elicit it. Sometimes you can use it directly, and other times you have to tweak it a bit to conform to your own personal style....learning to improve is more of a journey than a destination....and just like travel broadens our horizons, so does understanding how others experience their personal reality, especially at the highest level.
We, that strive to discover the perfection in the game 'Real Eyes' that we express ourselves through the game, AND the game {paradoxically} must express its self though us..... and this, in appearance is as unique as a fingerprint. 'The Game is Changing and Evolving'
The place - 2003, Las Vegas, in the bathroom next to the ballroom of the MGM Grand.
The background - The Mosconi Cup has come to America for the first time. It's Saturday afternoon, the room is packed and Team Europe have just pulled back to 5-6 and need one more match to even up the tournament.
Steve Davis, my boyhood hero from hours spent watching Snooker tournaments on BBC2, is up in a singles match against Earl Strickland. For 30 minutes before their match starts the big screen TVs hung above the table are showing Strickland missing the 7 ball in his match against Davis in the 2002 Mosconi which allowed Davis to win the tournament for Europe.
Davis comes out for the match and he is pumped up in a way I've never seen before or since. Davis is famous for his lack of emotion at the table but this time Davis seems to be intent on out-crazying Strickland and is doing the whole mad-staring-eyes bit, gripping his cue like he's trying to strangle it and not sitting down between shots. Perhaps this unnerves Strickland because Davis beats him 5-0. Given he is a Snooker player playing alternating breaks against a guy who's won the US Open a half-dozen times is simply phenomenal. Even Michela Tabb, who works so hard to be the stone-faced impartial figure of authority, can't help breaking out in a huge grin as she shakes Davis' hand. (There's some footage here)
But nature calls after the match so I head out to the bathroom. I'm just getting started when I glance over, as you do, to the urinal next to me, and who is standing there following the same biological imperative but Mr. Davis himself. I assume there must have been a private backstage bathroom but either Strickland had locked himself in there to sulk, or Davis just wanted to bask in the glory with the fans.
The problem was I wanted desperately to congratulate him but was afraid he might assume I was referring to his performance in the bathroom rather than the table. In the end I chickened out and just gave him a quick nod of recognition as he was stepping away.
I did get him to sign my Mosconi Cup t-shirt later on, but as we were both British we were far too polite to mention meeting in the bathroom.
The background - The Mosconi Cup has come to America for the first time. It's Saturday afternoon, the room is packed and Team Europe have just pulled back to 5-6 and need one more match to even up the tournament.
Steve Davis, my boyhood hero from hours spent watching Snooker tournaments on BBC2, is up in a singles match against Earl Strickland. For 30 minutes before their match starts the big screen TVs hung above the table are showing Strickland missing the 7 ball in his match against Davis in the 2002 Mosconi which allowed Davis to win the tournament for Europe.
Davis comes out for the match and he is pumped up in a way I've never seen before or since. Davis is famous for his lack of emotion at the table but this time Davis seems to be intent on out-crazying Strickland and is doing the whole mad-staring-eyes bit, gripping his cue like he's trying to strangle it and not sitting down between shots. Perhaps this unnerves Strickland because Davis beats him 5-0. Given he is a Snooker player playing alternating breaks against a guy who's won the US Open a half-dozen times is simply phenomenal. Even Michela Tabb, who works so hard to be the stone-faced impartial figure of authority, can't help breaking out in a huge grin as she shakes Davis' hand. (There's some footage here)
But nature calls after the match so I head out to the bathroom. I'm just getting started when I glance over, as you do, to the urinal next to me, and who is standing there following the same biological imperative but Mr. Davis himself. I assume there must have been a private backstage bathroom but either Strickland had locked himself in there to sulk, or Davis just wanted to bask in the glory with the fans.
The problem was I wanted desperately to congratulate him but was afraid he might assume I was referring to his performance in the bathroom rather than the table. In the end I chickened out and just gave him a quick nod of recognition as he was stepping away.
I did get him to sign my Mosconi Cup t-shirt later on, but as we were both British we were far too polite to mention meeting in the bathroom.
I played Willie Mosconi an exhibition match in 1964 and was soundly thrashed.
Grady Mathews needed a practice partner for straight pool once and I fell into dead stroke and kept him seated for most of about four hours.
I also played a ton of pool with Neptune Joe Frady and a little bit with Jimmy Fusco. I played a lot of unknown to me road players who could have gone on to be pro players but I don't remember them,it was long ago.
Grady Mathews needed a practice partner for straight pool once and I fell into dead stroke and kept him seated for most of about four hours.
I also played a ton of pool with Neptune Joe Frady and a little bit with Jimmy Fusco. I played a lot of unknown to me road players who could have gone on to be pro players but I don't remember them,it was long ago.
Im at the Derby City Classic 2010, watching Corey d play john s in one pocket on the tv table. SVB sits down next to me and starts nudging me telling me what the shooter was gonna do next. Shane would go into detail what shot he would shoot and after a few moments they shot his shot. It was amazing he could analyse the table from the side line in a split second. Truely my favorite player. ...
Approximately 10 years ago I started taking pool more seriously. I was living in Vancouver at the time. The first time I played in a weekend tournament I drew John Horsfall on the main table at the Commodore. John was a pretty decent pro in Canada. I believe he played in the Challenge of Champions once. I was a C playing with a fiberglass shaft cue. No shot was a 'gimme' to me.
He had to give me a huge spot. I think I won a game against him by making a combo on the 9.
He had to give me a huge spot. I think I won a game against him by making a combo on the 9.
Great thread. So many funny stories to share, but I will tell about the first time I ever got to play a real pro.
It was at my first Eurotour event, must have been back in 2005. I was playing in the lower division in Norway, but since I was obsessed with pool and played many hours every day, I wanted to go to an Eurotour just to see what it was like, so I joined 5 other Norwegians and travelled to Gent in Belgium.
My first opponent had just a month or so earlier won the European 8-ball Championships, won the European 9-ball Championships and finish 3rd in the European 14-1 Championships. No doubt, he was the man to beat in this event, and his name was Alex Lely from the Netherlands. The Plague from the Hague. (Unfortunately he has quit playing pool now)
I've never been more nervous in my whole life, and couldn't make two balls in a row. I even missed an easy 9 that was about 1 feet away from the pocket.
To make it even more embarassing, I had the text "World Champion 2009" written with big white letters all over my cue. (I'm an ambitious guy)
Alex was class act, and talked with me for a few minutes after the match, encouraging me to keep playing Eurotours etc. Then he finished off with pointing at my cue, smiled and said something like "maybe I'll go for 2008 then"
(I would definitely have made my goal and been World 9-ball Champ in 2009, but unfortunately the event was cancelled that year, and now I have quit playing pool)
Still it was a decent Eurotour for the Norwegians, with a 3rd, 5th, 9th and 17th, 33rd and me on 129th or something.
It was at my first Eurotour event, must have been back in 2005. I was playing in the lower division in Norway, but since I was obsessed with pool and played many hours every day, I wanted to go to an Eurotour just to see what it was like, so I joined 5 other Norwegians and travelled to Gent in Belgium.
My first opponent had just a month or so earlier won the European 8-ball Championships, won the European 9-ball Championships and finish 3rd in the European 14-1 Championships. No doubt, he was the man to beat in this event, and his name was Alex Lely from the Netherlands. The Plague from the Hague. (Unfortunately he has quit playing pool now)
I've never been more nervous in my whole life, and couldn't make two balls in a row. I even missed an easy 9 that was about 1 feet away from the pocket.
To make it even more embarassing, I had the text "World Champion 2009" written with big white letters all over my cue. (I'm an ambitious guy)
Alex was class act, and talked with me for a few minutes after the match, encouraging me to keep playing Eurotours etc. Then he finished off with pointing at my cue, smiled and said something like "maybe I'll go for 2008 then"
(I would definitely have made my goal and been World 9-ball Champ in 2009, but unfortunately the event was cancelled that year, and now I have quit playing pool)
Still it was a decent Eurotour for the Norwegians, with a 3rd, 5th, 9th and 17th, 33rd and me on 129th or something.
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alex lely is still working as an instructor i think.
i havent met to many pros yet, 2 coming through my mind are ralf souquet and oliver ortmann, both during the european championchips.
ralf is a true gentleman, he knew my buddy, came over, shook hands and presented himself (who the **** wouldnt know him at the EPC???). Truely a great sportsman and gentleman.
I had some words with oliver ortman who is a sort of relaxed man, really nice and fun.
Was glad to be so lucky to meet these two and to have some words.
i havent met to many pros yet, 2 coming through my mind are ralf souquet and oliver ortmann, both during the european championchips.
ralf is a true gentleman, he knew my buddy, came over, shook hands and presented himself (who the **** wouldnt know him at the EPC???). Truely a great sportsman and gentleman.
I had some words with oliver ortman who is a sort of relaxed man, really nice and fun.
Was glad to be so lucky to meet these two and to have some words.
Story 1:
Stefano Pelinga came to town touring doing trick shot shows and taking challenge racks from raffle drawings. Im not nmuch into trick shots but I came to the show and got a table in the general area and I bought a few tickets just to have a chance to play him.
I broke made a ball and played a weak safe. He played a 1 9 combo and made it but scratched. I got ball in hand, he spotted the 9 and I ran out.
Story 2:
A local car dealership had an exhibition to get people in the door. They had Ewa Laurence there and Bart Scott he was a Baltimore raven at the time). They were taking pictures with everyone and you get get a nice 8x10 taken with them and autographed really cheap.
Ewa looked stunning of course and did some trick shots. Afterwards she took challenge racks. e played a horrible rack of 9 ball partially due to a sun glare (because car dealerships have floor to ceiling windows). I dont remember much of the rack but she somehow left the 7 and 9 and I made them and won.
Stefano Pelinga came to town touring doing trick shot shows and taking challenge racks from raffle drawings. Im not nmuch into trick shots but I came to the show and got a table in the general area and I bought a few tickets just to have a chance to play him.
I broke made a ball and played a weak safe. He played a 1 9 combo and made it but scratched. I got ball in hand, he spotted the 9 and I ran out.
Story 2:
A local car dealership had an exhibition to get people in the door. They had Ewa Laurence there and Bart Scott he was a Baltimore raven at the time). They were taking pictures with everyone and you get get a nice 8x10 taken with them and autographed really cheap.
Ewa looked stunning of course and did some trick shots. Afterwards she took challenge racks. e played a horrible rack of 9 ball partially due to a sun glare (because car dealerships have floor to ceiling windows). I dont remember much of the rack but she somehow left the 7 and 9 and I made them and won.
In 1993 I was working for a regional retailer in the Greensboro NC area and we had a big, high traffic event that we were promoting. Since one of the vendors was a pool table/spa retailer, we got Earl Strickland to make an appearance at the show.
Prior to the show, he did a meet and greet at a local room with the leadership team from my company. After doing a great trick shot exhibition, he offered to play some with us. Everyone put me up since I was the only league player in the group.
Earl racked and offered me the break. I broke and ran the rack (complete fluke, I was at least 3 balls worse than I am today). His face changed rather dramatically, although he made a joke about getting hustled. He racked again, I broke dry and then I racked 6 times in a row, all in less than 5 minutes. He was an absolute machine and didn't say a word until he sank the 9 ball for the 6th time. Awesome display of 9 ball at warp speed!
Brian in VA
Prior to the show, he did a meet and greet at a local room with the leadership team from my company. After doing a great trick shot exhibition, he offered to play some with us. Everyone put me up since I was the only league player in the group.
Earl racked and offered me the break. I broke and ran the rack (complete fluke, I was at least 3 balls worse than I am today). His face changed rather dramatically, although he made a joke about getting hustled. He racked again, I broke dry and then I racked 6 times in a row, all in less than 5 minutes. He was an absolute machine and didn't say a word until he sank the 9 ball for the 6th time. Awesome display of 9 ball at warp speed!
Brian in VA
I call it " The Beating"
So I have been playing pool for a few years now. I live in Somerset, Ky. There is one poolroom in the town and it sucks. We play on a jacked up Diamond with slow cloth and shit rails and I feel like I can't get any better. This table will frustrate the hell out of you.
But anyway, I'm practicing some with a friend of mine and hitting balls good that wont go and Im getting mad and I say, " A pro can't run racks consistently on this junk." Well not ten minutes later walks in Somerset's own Shannon the Cannon. So we are talking and I'm telling him how this table sucks and he says " it's not so bad, lets play some." So we are playing five dollar sets and I get the 5. I get the break and snap out the first two racks. Next rack I make two balls and have an easy out and I'm up 3-0. I'm thinking I can win cause this table sucks and its hard to put packs together on. Well who was I kidding. I come up dry on my break and Shannon runs out. And then runs out. And then runs out. And then runs out. And then runs out. BOOM DROPS A SIX PACK. Ends up beating me 7-3.
This really showed me just what another level the pros are on. It was awesome to watch.
So I have been playing pool for a few years now. I live in Somerset, Ky. There is one poolroom in the town and it sucks. We play on a jacked up Diamond with slow cloth and shit rails and I feel like I can't get any better. This table will frustrate the hell out of you.
But anyway, I'm practicing some with a friend of mine and hitting balls good that wont go and Im getting mad and I say, " A pro can't run racks consistently on this junk." Well not ten minutes later walks in Somerset's own Shannon the Cannon. So we are talking and I'm telling him how this table sucks and he says " it's not so bad, lets play some." So we are playing five dollar sets and I get the 5. I get the break and snap out the first two racks. Next rack I make two balls and have an easy out and I'm up 3-0. I'm thinking I can win cause this table sucks and its hard to put packs together on. Well who was I kidding. I come up dry on my break and Shannon runs out. And then runs out. And then runs out. And then runs out. And then runs out. BOOM DROPS A SIX PACK. Ends up beating me 7-3.
This really showed me just what another level the pros are on. It was awesome to watch.
Yep, it's fun to see the pros hit a gear like that. Thanks for your story!
Cool story bud!
I have a couple of short ones...heres one.
Mike Massey came to our local bar for APA to do an exhibition. At the end of it he did challenge matches. Well the first three people were a 3, 4, and 5 in 8 ball...they all scratched on the break to which he made a few and missed making the games close (he still won all the games though)....well then they decided to ask for a 7 to play so of course about 5-6 people directly called my name out. I decided to intentionally break softer since people were being nervous and I did not want to scratch and at least have a chance to run out. Well I didnt scratch but I broke dry (sigh) and Massey ran out most likely to prove a point lol. Mikey Frost gave me the green light as I was ready to play for $100 for a lesson so I held out a quarter and asked him to call it to which he laughed and shook my hand. I tucked my tail and went back to my seat :embarrassed2:
About 10 years back there is a large tournament going on at Chris Szuter's room in Canton Ohio. I can't make the tournament but drive down after hours to see what big names are there. Sure enough I walk in and see Corey Deuel. HOWEVER, he is wearing all black, black boots with metal studs on them with elevated soles, black cloth gloves on his hands, black eyeshadow, his hair is died black, just completely ridiculously goth. Mind you I was used to seeing him look like a golf pro on tv with polo shirt and slacks. At that point I was convinced that professional pool had a subculture I was completely unaware of and that everyone was extremely bonkers. Despite his appearance I end up shooting a few racks for fun with him (without asking about his looks) and he demonstrates some great shots, including the draw shot he did at the Mosconi cup where he does a table length draw from being frozen on the top rail.
I'm about to leave and still don't know how to feel about Corey being cartoonishly goth in "real life" when Mika Immonen comes in the door, dressed as goth, if not more, black eye shadow and all. Turn out they were filming some promotional video that involved them "hustling" at local bars, and the appearance was their costumed disguise. Rodney Morris was also a part of this. I ended up staying, and watching Rodney and Mika play $50/game 9-ball, both shooting EXTREMELY fast, i.e. one-stroking everything, and running out from everywhere, fast and loose. I had a ball.
I'm about to leave and still don't know how to feel about Corey being cartoonishly goth in "real life" when Mika Immonen comes in the door, dressed as goth, if not more, black eye shadow and all. Turn out they were filming some promotional video that involved them "hustling" at local bars, and the appearance was their costumed disguise. Rodney Morris was also a part of this. I ended up staying, and watching Rodney and Mika play $50/game 9-ball, both shooting EXTREMELY fast, i.e. one-stroking everything, and running out from everywhere, fast and loose. I had a ball.
I have told them before but it was a couple of years ago.
My wife and I were in Maryland watching 14.1 qualifier matches. My wife is standing watching a match and this young guy is standing next to her. She asks him a question and for the next 30 minutes he tells her all about how 14.1 is played. The polite young guy was none other than Danny Harriman. Later I asked her if she knew who that was telling her about the finer points of 14.1. She said no, but he sure was a nice guy, and good looking too.
Later we were watching Thorsten Hohmann and someone else play in a match. My wife is legally blind and she can’t see your head if you are standing in front of her. She has no central vision but does amazing things with her peripheral vision.
Kay is sitting about ten feet directly in front of Thorsten who is playing a two foot straight in shot to the side pocket. Kay, in her usual style has what appears to be opera glasses (binoculars really) intently focused on Thorsten as he bends over to shoot. He lines up, notices her staring through the glasses, and smiles at her, then goes on to compete his run of xx balls. What a nice guy, not the least bit of anger or annoyance though he had no idea about her vision problem.
What would you do if some lady was staring at you from ten feet away with binoculars while you are in the middle of a run?
My wife and I were in Maryland watching 14.1 qualifier matches. My wife is standing watching a match and this young guy is standing next to her. She asks him a question and for the next 30 minutes he tells her all about how 14.1 is played. The polite young guy was none other than Danny Harriman. Later I asked her if she knew who that was telling her about the finer points of 14.1. She said no, but he sure was a nice guy, and good looking too.
Later we were watching Thorsten Hohmann and someone else play in a match. My wife is legally blind and she can’t see your head if you are standing in front of her. She has no central vision but does amazing things with her peripheral vision.
Kay is sitting about ten feet directly in front of Thorsten who is playing a two foot straight in shot to the side pocket. Kay, in her usual style has what appears to be opera glasses (binoculars really) intently focused on Thorsten as he bends over to shoot. He lines up, notices her staring through the glasses, and smiles at her, then goes on to compete his run of xx balls. What a nice guy, not the least bit of anger or annoyance though he had no idea about her vision problem.
What would you do if some lady was staring at you from ten feet away with binoculars while you are in the middle of a run?
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Depends on two things:
#1) My marital status.......and
#2) Her marital status :thumbup:
Good stories though, Joe!!!
Maniac